Protector screen device fok rocket



Feb. M, 1956 E. w. BRANDT 2,734,425

PROTECTOR SCREEN DEVICE FOR ROCKET LAUNCHERS Filed Nov. 4, 1952 1N VENTOR ATTORNEYE PROTECTOR SCREEN DEVICE FGR RUCKET LAUNCHER Edgar William Brandt, Geneva, Switseriand, to Anstalt fur die Entwickiung von Eriin-dungen and Gewerblichen Anwendungen Energa, Vaduz, Liechtem stein, a corporation of Liechtenstein Application November 4, 1952, Serial No. 318,557

Claims priority, application Switzerland December 21, 1951 3 Claims. (Cl. 899-46) This invention relates to a protector screen device for rocket launcher.

On certain firearms it is convenient to provide a transparent protector screen, but such screen has the disadvantage of becoming dull in the course of time, either during transport and handling or during firing, due to the eifect of the powder gases in the vicinity of the marksman, so that it becomes difficult to aim through the screen.

This problem arises more particularly in the case of launching weapons for self-propelled projectiles, or rocket throwers, since it may happen that unburnt particles of powder are violently projected towards the rear when the projectile leaves the muzzle of the weapon. These particles become encrusted on the screen and thus reduce its transparency.

Hitherto use has been made of removable and interchangeable windows of glass or other transparent material which were fixed on a sighting apparatus or in front of the latter on a shield. This arrangement is however inconvenient, since it obliges the gun crew to waste time and, in certain cases, to change the screen after every shot.

The present invention provides a protector screen for sighting windows in rocket throwers, which comprises a transparent band wound at its ends, and manual means adapted to displace the band for a sufiicient length to bring opposite the window a portion of said band which was previously wound up.

The invention provides the technical advantage that the protective screen is displaceable continuously, by simply unwinding and winding the transparent hand, without this operation necessitating replacement of the screen during the course of firing.

Unwinding a few centimetres of the band is sufficient to bring a virgin transparent screen in front of the sighting window.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the band is wound from its ends over two parallel spools which are protected externally by a casing.

As soon as the transparency of the screen is diminished, the marksman winds the band on to one of the spools, so as to move forward the part which has become unusable, and to replace it by a fresh part. 7

The spools may be mounted in fixed positions on a shield which at the same time protects the marksman and a sighting device, for example a telescope.

The spools may however equally well be disposed inside the shield or, when there is no shield, fixed on the telescope, or in any other manner convenient for the unwinding of the band serving as protective screen.

In order to enable the invention to be more readily understood, reference is made to the accompanying draw atent ings, which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example, one embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device, shown partly in section; and

Figure 2 shows the screen of Fig. I viewed from the front and on a larger scale, one of the spools being shown in section.

A transparent and flexible band 1 (of plastic material) is wound from its ends 2 on two spools 3, 4, each of which is enclosed in a case 5, 6 having a slot 7, 8. Said spools are fixed by means of arms 9, 10 on a conical shield 11 protecting a sighting telescope, which in turn is mounted on the barrel of the weapon 13 (shown in part).

The band 1 closes a window 14 situated at the apex of the shield 11 and is adapted to slide between two guide members 15 and 16 when unwound. In order to facilitate the unwinding, the receiving spool 3 and the storage spool 4 are provided at one of their ends with a knurled part 17 (Figure 2) permitting the winding or unwinding of the transparent band.

The virgin transparent band is wound around the spool 4 and the part thereof lying between the window 14 and the case 6 is protected by a rigid cover portion 6 integral with said case.

When using the device, the marksman, with his head sheltered behind the shield 11, sights the target by means of the telescope 12 through the transparent film constituted by the band 1.

If sighting conditions so require, the marksman can advance the band 1 at will by winding it on to the receiving spool 3, so that the sighting window is at all times pro- 1 tected by a clear and transparent portion of the film.

I claim: 1. In combination with the sighting device of a rocket launcher, a shield mounted on said sighting device and having a Window at its front end opposite the sighting device, a protector for said window, said protector con1- prising a casing mounted on one side of said window and containing a storage spool, a casing mounted on the opposite side of said window and containing a receiving spool and a movable transparent band extending across the window and having its ends wound on said spools.

2. In combination with the sighting device of a rocket launcher, a shield mounted on said sighting device and having a window at its front end opposite the sighting device, a protector for said window, said protector comprising a casing mounted on one side of said window and containing a storage spool, a casing mounted on the opposite side of said window and containing a receiving spool, a movable transparent band extending across the window and having its ends wound on said spools, and guide members for the band on opposite sides of the Window.

3. in combination with the sighting device of a rocket launcher, a shield mounted on said sighting device and having a window at its front end opposite the sighting device, a protector for said window, said protector comprising a casing mounted on one side of said window and containing a storage spool, a casing mounted on the opposite side of said window and containing a receiving spool, .a movable transparent band extending across the window, and having its ends wound on said spools, and a cover portion on the casing of the storage spool extending in front of said band and toward the window.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,423,636 Boyd July 8, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 441,084 Great Britain Jan. 13, 1936 681,090 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1952 

